초록 ▼

A partially open fired heater regenerative cycle wherein the fired industrial type heater cycle's heat transfer fluid replaces the air predominant nitrogen heat transfer fluid employed in a conventional air/fuel combustion heater. The heater cycle's method and apparatus means is susceptible to provi

A partially open fired heater regenerative cycle wherein the fired industrial type heater cycle's heat transfer fluid replaces the air predominant nitrogen heat transfer fluid employed in a conventional air/fuel combustion heater. The heater cycle's method and apparatus means is susceptible to providing a 95 to 98 percent mass flow reduction of fugitive nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide mass flow emissions as emitted by current art Low-NO.sub.x art heaters on a rated per million Btu per hour basis, and is further susceptible to developing steady-state heat transfer thermal efficiencies exceeding 124 percent.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A partially-open heat regenerative oxygen-fuel fired heater cycle system with low fugitive heater flue gas exhaust emissions for use in heating a process fluid or gas exclusively using liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel, the system comprising: (a) a single burner assemb

The invention claimed is: 1. A partially-open heat regenerative oxygen-fuel fired heater cycle system with low fugitive heater flue gas exhaust emissions for use in heating a process fluid or gas exclusively using liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel, the system comprising: (a) a single burner assembly for mixing and combusting controlled streams of a liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel, a pressurized predominate oxygen mixture, and a first recirculated flue gas, the burner assembly including, (1) inlet supply connections providing connectivity to the controlled streams of the fuel, predominate oxygen mixture, and first recirculated flue gas, (2) a partial premixer in communication with the inlet supply connections for mixing the controlled streams of the fuel, predominate oxygen mixture, and first recirculated flue gas, the first recirculated flue gas stream comprised predominately of carbon dioxide and water vapor, (3) a primary ignition and combustion zone connected to and downstream of the partial premixer for combusting the controlled streams of the fuel and predominate oxygen mixture resulting in a stream of gases in a superheated state comprised predominately of carbon dioxide and water vapor, (4) a tertiary blending zone for combining the streams of superheated gases and exhausting a flue gas, the tertiary blending zone connected to and positioned downstream of the primary ignition and combustion zone and configured to accept a source of a second recirculated flue gas stream, the second recirculated flue gas stream comprised predominately of carbon dioxide and water vapor; (b) a flow transition, having two ends, one end in communication with and downstream of the burner assembly and the other end connected to a heat exchanger; (c) a heat exchanger connected to and downstream of the flow transition, the heat exchanger configured to accept the flue gas exhausted from the tertiary blending zone and transfer heat energy of the flue gas to a process fluid or gas passed through the heat exchanger; (d) a first conduit in communication with the heat exchanger for transporting and recirculating the flue gas exiting the heat exchanger; (e) at least one compressor or blower, connected to the first conduit and downstream of the heat exchanger, for repressurizing and recirculating the flue gas; (f) a second conduit, downstream of and connected to the compressor or blower, the second conduit having three branches, (1) the first branch of the second conduit configured to exhaust a first portion of the recirculated flue gas to atmosphere, (2) the second branch of the second conduit configured to transport a second portion of the recirculated flue gas, the first recirculated flue gas stream, to an inlet supply connection connected to the partial premixer of the burner assembly, (3) the third branch of the second conduit configured to transport a third portion of the recirculated flue gas, the second recirculated flue gas stream, to the tertiary blending zone of the burner assembly; (g) a third conduit in communication with a source of the liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel configured to supply the stream of liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel to an inlet supply connection connected to the partial premixer of the burner assembly; (h) a fourth conduit in communication with a source of the predominate oxygen mixture configured to supply the predominate oxygen mixture to an inlet supply connection connected to the partial premixer of the burner assembly; and (i) a means for control configured to maintain the flue gases in a cycle-continuous superheated state. 2. The partially-open heat regenerative oxygen-fuel fired heater cycle system of claim 1 wherein the control means is a control panel with a programmable logic controller. 3. The partially-open heat regenerative oxygen-fuel fired heater cycle system of claim 2 additionally including, (a) a first control valve in communication with the first branch of the second conduit; (b) a second control valve in communication with the second branch of the second conduit; (c) a third control valve in communication with the third branch of the second conduit; and (d) a fourth control valve in communication with the third conduit. 4. The partially-open heat regenerative oxygen-fuel fired heater cycle system of claim 1 wherein the control means maintains the temperature inside the primary ignition and combustion zone during combustion at 2,400 degrees Fahrenheit. 5. The partially-open heat regenerative oxygen-fuel fired heater cycle system of claim 1 wherein the control means optimizes the heat transferred to the process fluid or gas in the heat exchanger relative to the mass flow of the liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel. 6. The partially-open heat regenerative oxygen-fuel fired heater cycle system of claim 1 additionally including, (a) a fourth conduit connected to the second branch of the second conduit; (b) a control valve in communication with the fourth conduit and downstream of the second branch of the second conduit; (c) a compressor or blower in communication with the fourth conduit and downstream of the control valve for additionally pressurizing the recirculated flue gas stream transported by the fourth conduit; (d) a venturi-type blender in communication with the fourth conduit and downstream of the compressor or blower for blending the recirculated flue gas stream and a predominate oxygen mixture supplied by a source; and (e) an inlet supply connection, having two ends, one end in communication with the fourth conduit and downstream of the venturi-type blender and the other end connected to the partial premixer for transporting the blended mixture of the recirculated flue gas and the predominate oxygen mixture from the venturi-type blender to the partial premixer of the burner assembly. 7. The partially-open heat regenerative oxygen-fuel fired heater cycle system of claim 6 wherein the control means is a control panel with a programmable logic controller. 8. The partially-open heat regenerative oxygen-fuel fired heater cycle system of claim 7 additionally including, (a) a first control valve in communication with the first branch of the second conduit; (b) a second control valve in communication with the second branch of the second conduit; (c) a third control valve in communication with the third branch of the second conduit; and (d) a fourth control valve in communication with the third conduit. 9. The partially-open heat regenerative oxygen-fuel fired heater cycle system of claim 6 wherein the control means maintains the temperature inside the primary ignition and combustion zone during combustion at 2,400 degrees Fahrenheit. 10. The partially-open heat regenerative oxygen-fuel fired heater cycle system of claim 6 wherein the control means optimizes the heat transferred to the process fluid or gas in the heat exchanger relative to the mass flow of the liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel. 11. A partially-open heat regenerative oxygen-fuel fired heater cycle system with low fugitive heater flue gas exhaust emissions for use in heating a process fluid or gas exclusively using liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel, the system comprising: (a) a single burner assembly for mixing and combusting controlled streams of a liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel, a pressurized predominate oxygen mixture, and first and second recirculated flue gases, the burner assembly including, (1) inlet supply connections providing connectivity to the controlled streams of the fuel, predominate oxygen mixture, and first recirculated flue gas, (2) a partial premixer in communication with the inlet supply connections for mixing the controlled streams of the fuel, predominate oxygen mixture, and first recirculated flue gas, the first recirculated flue gas stream comprised predominately of carbon dioxide and water vapor, (3) a primary ignition and combustion zone connected to and downstream of the partial premixer for combusting the controlled streams of the fuel and predominate oxygen mixture resulting in a stream of gases in a superheated state comprised predominately of carbon dioxide and water vapor, (4) a tertiary blending zone for combining the streams of superheated gases and exhausting a flue gas, the tertiary blending zone connected to and positioned downstream of the primary ignition and combustion zone and configured to accept the second recirculated flue gas stream, the second recirculated flue gas stream comprised predominately of carbon dioxide and water vapor; (b) a flow transition in communication with and downstream of the burner assembly; (c) a first heat exchanger connected to and downstream of the flow transition, the first heat exchanger configured to accept a first portion of the flue gas exhausted from the tertiary blending zone and transfer heat energy of the flue gas to a first process fluid or gas passed through the first heat exchanger; (d) a second heat exchanger connected to and downstream of the flow transition, the second heat exchanger configured to accept a second portion of the flue gas exhausted from the tertiary blending zone and transfer heat energy of the flue gas to a second process fluid or gas passed through the second heat exchanger; (e) a first conduit in communication with and connected to the first and second heat exchangers for transporting and recirculating the flue gas exiting the first and second heat exchangers; (f) a first compressor or blower and a second compressor or blower for repressurizing and recirculating the flue gas, each compressor or blower connected to the first conduit and downstream of the first and second heat exchangers; (g) a second conduit, downstream of and connected to the first compressor or blower, configured to transport a first portion of the recirculated flue gas, the second conduit having two branches, (1) the first branch of the second conduit configured to exhaust a first portion of the recirculated flue gas to atmosphere, and (2) the second branch of the second conduit configured to transport a second portion of the recirculated flue gas, the first recirculated flue gas stream, to an inlet supply connection connected to the partial premixer of the burner assembly; (h) a third conduit, downstream of and connected to the second blower or compressor, configured to transport a second portion of the recirculated flue gas, the second recirculated flue gas stream, to the tertiary blending zone of the burner assembly; (i) a fourth conduit in communication with a source of liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel, the fourth conduit configured to supply the stream of liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel to an inlet supply connection connected to the partial premixer of the burner assembly; (j) a fifth conduit in communication with a source of the predominate oxygen mixture, the fifth conduit configured to supply the predominate oxygen mixture to an inlet supply connection connected to the partial premixer of the burner assembly; and (k) a means for control configured to maintain the flue gases in a cycle-continuous superheated state. 12. The partially-open heat regenerative oxygen-fuel fired heater cycle system of claim 11 wherein the control means is a control panel with a programmable logic controller. 13. The partially-open heat regenerative oxygen-fuel fired heater cycle system of claim 12 additionally including, (a) a first control valve in communication with the first conduit and downstream of the first heat exchanger; (b) a second control valve in communication with the first conduit and downstream of the second heat exchanger; (c) a third control valve in communication with the first branch of the second conduit; (d) a fourth control valve in communication with the second branch of the second conduit; (e) a fifth control valve in communication with the third conduit; and (f) a sixth control valve in communication with the fourth conduit. 14. The partially-open heat regenerative oxygen-fuel fired heater cycle system of claim 11 wherein the control means maintains the temperature inside the primary ignition and combustion zone during combustion at 2,400 degrees Fahrenheit. 15. The partially-open heat regenerative oxygen-fuel fired heater cycle system of claim 11 wherein the control means optimizes the rate of heat transferred to the process fluid or gas in the heat exchanger relative to the mass flow of the liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel. 16. A method for heating a process fluid or gas using a partially-open heat regenerative oxygen-fuel fired heater cycle system with low fugitive heater flue gas exhaust emissions exclusively using liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel, the method comprising: (a) providing a single burner assembly for mixing and combusting controlled streams of a liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel, a pressurized predominate oxygen mixture, and a first recirculated flue gas, the burner assembly including, (1) inlet supply connections providing connectivity to the controlled streams of the fuel, predominate oxygen mixture, and first recirculated flue gas, (2) a partial premixer in communication with the inlet supply connections for mixing the controlled streams of the fuel, predominate oxygen mixture, and first recirculated flue gas, the first recirculated flue gas stream comprised predominately of carbon dioxide and water vapor, (3) a primary ignition and combustion zone connected to and downstream of the partial premixer for combusting the controlled streams of the fuel and predominate oxygen mixture resulting in a stream of gases in a superheated state comprised predominately of carbon dioxide and water vapor, (4) a tertiary blending zone for combining the streams of superheated gases and exhausting a flue gas, the tertiary blending zone connected to and positioned downstream of the primary ignition and combustion zone and configured to accept a source of a second recirculated flue gas, the second recirculated flue gas stream comprised predominately of carbon dioxide and water vapor; (b) passing the flue gas through a flow transition, having two ends, one end in communication with and downstream of the burner assembly and the other end connected to a heat exchanger; (c) passing the flue gas through a heat exchanger connected to and downstream of the flow transition, the heat exchanger configured to accept the flue gas from the tertiary blending zone and transfer heat energy of the flue gas to a process fluid or gas passed through the heat exchanger; (d) compressing and recirculating by at least one compressor or blower the flue gas exhausted from the heat exchanger through a first conduit to a second conduit; (e) selecting and supplying a first portion of the recirculated flue gas in the second conduit to an exhaust to atmosphere; (f) selecting and supplying a second portion of the recirculated flue gas in the second conduit, the first recirculated flue gas stream, to an inlet supply connection connected to the partial premixer of the burner assembly, (g) selecting and supplying a third portion of the recirculated flue gas in the second conduit, the second recirculated flue gas stream, to the tertiary blending zone of the burner assembly; (h) supplying from a source the stream of liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel and providing the fuel to an inlet supply connection connected to the partial premixer of the burner assembly; (i) supplying from a source the predominate pressurized oxygen mixture and providing the predominate pressurized oxygen mixture to an inlet supply connection connected to the partial premixer of the burner assembly; and (j) controlling the system to maintain the flue gases in a cycle-continuous superheated state. 17. The method of claim 16 wherein the means for controlling the system of step 28(j) is a control panel with a programmable logic controller. 18. The method of claim 16 wherein the flue gas is passed through two heat exchangers connected to and downstream of the flow transition. 19. The method of claim 16 wherein the pressurized predominate oxygen mixture is blended by a venturi-type blender with a portion of the recirculated flue gas from the second conduit before the mixture is supplied to the inlet supply connection connected to the partial premixer. 20. The method of claim 16 wherein the control means maintains the temperature inside the primary ignition and combustion zone during combustion at 2,400 degrees Fahrenheit.